Mechanism for driving pipe



Jan. 21, 1941. D. EKIN MECHANISM FOR DRIVING PIPE INVEVNTOR J LAPPatented Jan. 21', 1941 PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR DRIVING PIPE Lynn D.Ekin, Butler, Pa., assignor to Spang and Company, sylvania Butler, Pa.,a corporation of Penn- Application February 16, 1938, Serial No. 190,770

11 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for driv-' ing'pipe, and moreparticularly to an improved mechanism for driving pipe or easing intothe bore hole during the drilling of an oil or gas well by thepercussion method to prevent cave-ins and the like, and is acontinuation-in-part of mycopending application Serial No. 138,843, medApril 24, 1937.

In the drilling of oil and gas wells by the percussion method, thedrilling is performed by reciprocating a string of tools, which aresuspended from a cable attached to a suitable vertically swinging memberor walking beam and which crush and cut away the earth formations asthey move downwardly or .drop. During the drilling operation, unstableearth formations, such as uicksand, shales and the like, are encounteredwhich if not cased off cave into and fill in the drill hole, makingfurther drilling impossible unless such unstable formations are walledin or cased off with pipe driven into the bore hole from the top thereofto the bottom of such formations. Heretofore, ithas been customary inthe industry to drive-pipe into the well or bore hole by attaching aheavy drive clamp or ring, by bolting or wedging such clamp or ring toone of the wrench squares of one of the tools making up the drillingstring and then, by reciprocating the drill string, cause the driveclamp or ring to strike re- 0 peated blows on a driving head or cappositioned on the top of the upper section of pipe being driven into thebore hole. During the driving process the drive shoe on the lower end ofthe pipebeing driven into the well frequently encounters rock projectinginto the bore hole, or other obstructions which make the further driv-'.ing of the pipe into the bore hole impossible. When such obstructionsare encountered, it is then necessary to lower the drill string so that40 such obstructions below the bottom of the drive shoe may be drilledaway and in order to lower the drill string, it is necessary for thedriller or operator to first remove the drive clamp so that the drillstring may be lowered through pipe al- 5 ready driven, and since drivepipe is furnished commercially in sections twenty feet in length, it isapparent thatthe heavy drive clamp which must be removed to permit theobstruction below the bottom of the drive shoe to be removed may a beanywhere from one to twenty feet above the derrick floor, depending, ofcourse, on the distance the upper section of pipe has been driven andlocated in a position where it is substantially inaccessible to reach bythe driller without climbing. Since the drive clamp is cumbersome andheavy as well as frequently inaccessible to reach, the operation ofremoving the clamp from the. stem is not only extremely diflicult but isalso quite hazardous as heavy tools are required in the operation andthe task of removing the clamp 5 often results in injury to the driller.Further, considerable time is required to remove and replace the clamp.

The primary object 01' this invention is to provide mechanism fordriving pipe which will permit the operations of drilling and drivingpipe to be alternately carried out by merely turning the drill stringand without requiring the placing and removing of a drive clamp on andfrom the d ill string with the resultant savin s n t me a d labor, and Iaccomplish this object by interposing in the drill string a drivingmember which, when in one rotative position, will coact with and strikerepeated blows on the drive head and by providing a drive head which isso shaped that when the driving member is in another rotative position,it will pass through the drive head and into the pipe already driven andpermit the drill string to be readily lowered into the bore hole andused to drill away obstructions at the bottom of the drive pipe and inwhich means are provided for causing the driving member to pass throughthe head without disturbing the same when the drill string is beingwithdrawn from the well.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for driving a pipe which willeliminate the hazards encountered in securing and removing a drive clampto the drill string and also eliminate the necessity for the use by-thedrillers of heavy wrenches, sledges and other like tools and with whichthe alternate operation of drilling and the driving of pipe may beaccomplished with emciency and dispatch.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for driving pipe, which issimple in construction, be- 0 comes a permanent part of the string oftools used in the drilling operation and is thoroughly reliable andefficient in operation, and is strong, durable and inexpensive tomanufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved head fordriving pipe which is so constructed as to readily guide he string oftools through the head when the drilling operation is to be performed;which is provided with means for causing repeated blows to be struckthereon when the pipe is to be driven, and which is so constructed as tobe substantially free from the crystallizing effects of vibrations setup by the repeated blows struck thereon.

These and other objects which will hereinafter pipe.

be made apparent to those skilled in this particular art areaccomplished by means of this invention, one embodiment of which isdescribed in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of an assembled drill string used in thedrilling of wells by the percussion method and provided with a pipedriving member made in accordance with one em bodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved driving head with the drivingmember in position to pass through the head;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2 and having aportion of the drill string broken away and showing the driving memberbelow the head;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the driving head with the guide blocks inposition to cause the driving member to strike repeated blows on thehead;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the driving head showing the means forturning the driving member into position to pass through the head as thedrill string is being removed; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view illustrating a modified construction ofdrive head for use with larger diameter pipes.

In the drilling wells for the production of oil and gas by thepercussion method, a string of drill tools is employed which, as shownin the drawing, comprises a drill bit III, a drill stem II, a set ofjars I2, a rope socket I3 and a cable I4 which is secured in the ropesocket I3 and is used to lower and withdraw the drill string into andfrom the well. During the drilling and pipe driving operations, aportion of the cable is clamped to a vertically reciprocating walkingbeam (not shown), whereby the .tools are alternately raised and thendropped to crush and cut a bore hole through the various formations ofthe earth or to strike repeated blows.

Interposed in the string of tools between the stem II and the jars I2 isa pipe driving sub I made in accordance with my invention, which becomesa permanent part of the string of tools and remains in position in thedrill string until the drilling and pipe driving operations have beencompleted. The driving sub I5 has its opposite sides flattened out toprovide opposed parallel faces I6 and has integrally formed outwardlyprojecting wings I1 on each side of the faces I6 and adjacent the top ofsaid sub which are adapted to coact with a drive head I8 that ispositioned on the upper end of a section of pipe I9 and strike repeatedblows thereon when such pipe is to be driven into the bore hole formedby said drill string. Pipe I9'is furnished commercially in standardlengths of approximately twenty feet and each section or length isprovided at one end with a drive collar 2|] which is threaded on the endthereof and which is welded circumferentially at 2| to the outer wall ofthe Collar is attached to the pipe during the process of fabrication andthe distance between the top of the pipe and the upper end of the collaris of standard dimension.

The body of the drive head I8 is of substantially circular or ring-likeshape and the lower end thereof is of reduced diameter to fit within thecollar 20 and to provide a shoulder I8a which seats on the top of thatcollar. The lower edge of the reduced portion of the body of the drivehead I8 is recessed at IBb to provide a shoulder I8c which is so spacedbelow the shoulder IBa that when the shoulder |8a is in engagement withthe collar 20, the shoulder I8c will engage and seat upon the top of thepipe I9. In order to increase the weight of the head I8 and to decreaseand break up vibration therein, an annular band or ring lad is shrunk onthe outside of the head I8 which projects downwardly on the outside ofthe collar 20 when the head is positioned on the pipe I9.

During both the drilling and the pipe driving operations, the drillstring operates through the opening in the head I8 and when the pipe I9is to be driven the drill string is raised until the wings II on thedriving sub I5 are slightly above the top of the drive head I8, afterwhich the drill string is rotated until the wings I! extend over fan orsector shaped portions on the head III, which extend inwardly fromdiametrically opposite sides of the head into the central openingthereof and form the striking shoulders of the head I8. The wings H areheld in striking relation with the striking shoulders 25 by guide blocks26 which are then placed in the recesses 21 between the ends of thesector shaped'striking shoulders 25. Each guide block 26 is providedwith an inner flat face 28 which when the blocks are positioned in therecesses 21 coact with. the fiat faces I6 of the driving sub and hold itfrom turning within the head I8. In order to prevent the guide blocks 26from being dropped while being placed in or removed from the recesses21, I prefer to attach the blocks to the head I8 with short lengths offlexible wire cable 29, or the like, arranged in such a way as toprovide a hand loop or bail 30 for handling the blocks. After the blocks26 have been positioned in the recesses 21, they may be held againstaccidental displacement by looping each of the bails 30 over anupstanding pin 3| on the top of the head I8 adjacent the recess 21, andwhich is provided with a notch 32 for receiving the bail 30. Pins 3|also act to hold blocks 26 on the head I8 after they have been removedfrom the recesses 21, as well as lock the blocks in position in therecesses and for this purpose each of the guide blocks 26 is alsoprovided with a vertically extending opening 33 so that the block may bepositioned over its respective pin 3| when it has been lifted out of therecess 26. The openings 33 in the guide blocks 26 are so spaced relativeto the flat faces 28 thereof and the pins 3| are so positioned on thehead that when the blocks are placed on the pins, the flat surfaces 28form a continuation of the recesses 21, the purpose of which willhereinafter be described.

As heretofore stated, during both the drillin and the pipe drivingoperations, the drill string operates through the head I8 and within thecasing or pipe I9. When it is desired to drive the pipe I9 further intothe bore hole, the drill string is pulled up until the wings I1 on thedriving sub I5 are above the top of the drive head I8 and the string isthen rotated until the wings II are over the shoulders 25 after whichthe guide blocks 26. are positioned in the recesses 2! with the flatfaces 28 thereof contacting the flat faces I! of the driving sub I5 andthe bails 30 are then looped over the pins 3| and positioned in thenotches 32 to lock the blocks in the recesses. The drill string is thenreciprocated and since the driving sub I5 is held against turningmovement. repeated blows will be struck on the shoulders 25 and the pipewill be driven into the bore hole. If the drive shoe (not shown) on thebottom of the drive pipe should come into contact with some obstructionin the bore hole and it should become necessary to drill out theobstruction before continuing the pipe driving operations, the bails arereleased from the pins 3| and the guide blocks 25 are then lifted out01' the recesses 21 and positioned on the pins 3| after which the drill'string is rotated for a quarter of a turn to bring the wings I! intoregistry with the recesses 21 which are of sufiicient width to permitthe wings I! to pass through the opening in the head it! and the stringof tools to be lowered into the bore hole. Since the faces 28 of theblocks 26, when in this position, form a continuation of the recesses 21the blocks act as guides to prevent the wings II from catching on thesides of the head and thus aid in lowering the drill string into thebore hole. After the obstruction has been removed by the drillingoperation and it is desired to drive the pipe further into the borehole, the. drill string is pulled upwardly through the head and theoperation as hereinbefore described is repeated. In order to facilitatethe withdrawal of thedrili string, the tops of the wings I! on thedriving sub l5 are made of substantially inverted V-shape to provide camsurfaces thereon which are adapted to engage and coact with twodownwardly projecting V- shaped members or cams 36 formed on the headbeneath the striking shoulders 25 and impart such turning movement tothe drill string as will position the wings I! beneath the recess 21 andpermit the driving sub to pass through the head, and in order to preventaccidental binding of the coacting cam surfaces 35, 38, one of the camson one of the wings I! is somewhat lower than the tip of the cam on theother Wing whereby the higher cam 35 first comes in contact with one ofthe cams 36 and starts the turning movement before the other cam 35comes in contact with the other cam 36 and wedging of the driving sub inthe drive head is thereby prevented.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it is apparent that Ihave devised a mechanism for driving pipe in which the drill stringmaybe readily passed through the driving head by merely removing theguide blocks 26 and since these guide blocks are attached to the head bythe cables 29 there is no danger of them falling and causing injury toanyone working beneath the head l8. Further, when the blocks 26 are notbeing used as a guide to hold the driving sub in striking position, theyare positioned on the pins 3| and acts as guides to properly positionthe wings I! over the recesses 21 where they may pass downwardly throughthe head and'prevent the wings from hooking on. Since with my improvedmechanism there are no clamps to be driven on and off the drill stringand no bolts to be tightened and loosened, I have eliminated, to agreatextent, the necessity for the use of hammers, sledges, wrenches andthe like at inaccessible positions and materially reduced the hazard ofsuch implements falling with resultant injury to the operators.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing, I have shown a drive head for use in drivingpipe of larger diameter. In this construction, the head l8 has anextension bushing 40 shrunk therearound which is provided withvertically spaced offset portions "-42 on its inner surface for engagingthe shoulders I Bar-I817 of the head l8. The outer surface of thebushing 40 is of stepped or offset construction to provide shoulders 43-for engaging the top of the pipe 45 and the collar 46 welded thereto sothat blows delivered to the head l8 by the driving sub l5 will betransmitted equally to the collar and to the pipe.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a mechanism fordriving pipe which will permit the driller to change readily from thedrilling operation to the pipe driving operation, or vice versa, andwhich has a high safety factor since there are no loose parts or toolsto be handled during the change from one operation to the other. It isfurther apparent that since it is only necessary to remove the guideblocks to change from a pipe driving to a drilling operation and toplace the guide blocks in the recesses in the head to change from thedrilling operation to a pipe driving operation, that such changes can bemade without any appreciable loss of time and both operations canreadily be carried on with eificiency and dispatch.

By making the head' l8 as a laminated structure, I not only reinforceand strengthen the head, but the laminations have the effect of breakingup and deadening vibration set up by the repeated blows on the head bythe driving sub and thus prevent the crystallization and resultantfailure of the metal in the head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent'is:

1. A mechanism for use with the drill string in the cable system ofdrilling for driving pipe into a well comprising in combination adriving member interposed in said drill string, a driving head adaptedto be positioned on a section of pipe and having an opening therethroughthrough which said drill string operates, means onsaid head andprojecting into said opening for engaging said driving member when saidmember is turned to one position, and means adapted to be positioned insaid opening for holding said driving member in position to strikerepeated blows on the driving member engaging means of said head.

2. Mechanism for use with the drill string in the cable system ofdrilling for driving pipe into a well comprising in combination a memberinterposed in said drill string and having driving means thereon, adriving head positioned on a section of pipe and having an openingtherein through which said drill string operates, means on said head andprojecting into said opening for cooperating with said driving meanswhen said member is in one rotative position in said opening, and meansremovabiy positioned in said head for holding said driving member insuch ro-' tative position.

3. Mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools for drivingpipe into a well comprising, in combination, a reciprocable drivingmember interposed in said string of tools having a flat face and astriking wing projecting therefrom on each side of said face, aring-shaped driving head positioned on said pipe and having an openingthrough which the string of tools opcrates, and guide blocks associatedwith the driving head and adapted to be positioned in the openingthereof for coacting with the flat face of said member to hold saidmember in a position for striking action of its wings upon said head.

4. Mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools for drivingwell pipe comprisinga driving membriinterposed in said string of toolsand having a fiat face and striking wings projecting therefrom on eachside of said flat face, a driving head positioned on the well pipe andhaving an irregular opening therein through which the string of toolsoperates, said opening being of sufiicient width to permit said wings topass through said head when said driving member is in one position, andremovable means associated with said driving head and coacting with thefiat face of said member for holding said member in position forstriking action of its wings upon said head.

5. Mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools-for drivingwell pipe comprising in combination a driving member interposed in saidstring of tools, striking wings projecting from opposite sides of saiddriving member, a driving head positioned on the well pipe and having anirregular shaped opening therein through which the string of toolsoperates, means adapted to be positioned in the opening of said drivinghead for holding said driving member in position to cause the wingsthereon to strike upon said head, said last mentioned means beinremovable to permit the striking .wings on said member to pass throughthe opening in said driving head.

6. Mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools for drivingwell pipe comprising in combination a driving member interposed in saidstring of tools and having at least one fiat face thereon, strikingwings projecting from said member on each side of said flat face, adriving head positioned on the well pipe and having an openingtherethrough through which the string of tools passes, a guide blockadapted to be positioned in said opening for coacting with the flat faceof said member to hold said member in position for striking action ofits wings upon said head, and means for supporting said guide block onthe top of said head.

7. Mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools ior drivingwell pipe comprising in combination a member interposed in said stringof drilling tools and having at least one flat face, striking wingsprojecting from said member on opposite sides of said flat face, adriving head positioned on said well pipe and having an opening thereinthrough which said string of tools operates, said opening having a widthsomewhat greater than the width of said wings so that said wings maypass through said opening, sector shaped shoulders on said head andprojecting into said opening, and a guide block adapted to be positionedin said opening between said shoulders for coacting with the flat faceof said member to hold said member in a position for striking action ofits wings upon said shoulders, said guide block being removable topermit said member to be turned and the wings passed through saidopening.

8. A mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools for drivingwell pipe comprising in combination a driving member interposed in saidstring of tools, striking wings projecting from opposite sides of saiddriving member, a driving head positioned on said well pipe and having acentral opening therein through which said tools operate, the e beingopposed recesses in the wall of aid opening to permit the wings of saiddriving member to pass through said head, a pair of guide blocks adaptedto be removably positioned in said recesses, and coacting means on saidhead and said wings for directing said wings into alignment with saidrecesses.

9.- A mechanism for use with a string of cable drilling tools fordriving well pipe comprising in combination a driving member interposedin said string of tools, striking wings projecting from opposite sidesof said driving member, a driving head positioned on said well pipe andhaving a central opening therein through which said tools operate, therebeing opposed recesses in the wall of said opening to permit the wingsof said driving member to pass through said head, a pair of guide blocksadapted to be removably positioned in said recesses, and cooperatingmeans for directing said wings into alignment with said recesses whensaid string of tools is being pulled upwardly through said head, saidmeans including a downwardly projecting cam surface on the bottom ofsaid head and a cam surface on the top of at least one of said wings.

10. Mechanism for driving pipe into a well comprising in combination areciprocating driving member, a substantially cylindrical head throughwhich said driving member reciprocates, said member being adapted toengage said head when turned to one position and to pass through saidhead when turned to another position, an extension bushing surroundingsaid head; and means on the outer surface of said bushing for supportingsaid head on a pipe.

11. Mechanism for driving pipe comprising a ring-shaped drive-headhaving upper and lower external annular shoulders, the upper shoulderbeing adapted to be supported on a drive collar and the lower shoulderbeing adapted to be supported on a pipe to which said drive collar issecured and an annular bank shrunk around said drive head, said annularband having an inwardly extending annular shoulder adapted to receivethe upper shoulder of said drive head concentrically of said drivecollar.

- LYNN D. EKIN.

